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Chicago mayoral candidates lay out safety plans
Chicagoans tell pollsters public safety is their number one issue by far. So, on Tuesday, two candidates for mayor focused on it.
CHICAGO - Ja'Mal Green, the youngest candidate running for Chicago mayor, unveiled his $5 billion plan to address violence in the city Tuesday.
Green is a community activist and has gained attention for his work supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. He is also focusing his efforts on addressing the problem of violence in the city.
Green released a $5 billion public safety plan at a news conference Tuesday morning at Comer Children's Hospital.
While it's a price tag equivalent to tripling Chicago’s current property tax, Green said it would cut violent crime in half within four years.
Among other things, he proposes taxpayers give $1,000-a-month to 10,000 poor people; pay for year-round apprenticeships for another 10,000 ages 13 to 25; and capitalize a new "public bank" run by three elected officials and six others appointed by the mayor and city council.
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"We are presenting a plan called EPIC: Economic prosperity, Prevention, Intervention and CPD reform," Green said. "In which an economic prosperity we are going to rebuild neighborhoods and grow a thriving economy by creating 10,000 new homeowners with a single family mortgage bond, by also creating 10,000 affordable housing units to increase our affordable housing supply. As well as make sure that 10,000 families get lifted from the poverty line by giving cash payments of $1,000 a month to 10,000 families in the city of Chicago."
Green said he wants to make sure neighborhoods are built to the best of their ability and to make sure everyone feels safe where they live.
The proposal also includes increasing access to mental health services and mentoring programs for youth. Police officers would also have to carry liability insurance.
Green says his plan promises economic prosperity, crime prevention, and police reform.
You can read about Green's E.P.I.C. public safety plan HERE.
Meanwhile, candidate Paul Vallas will focus on public safety in new ads debuting on Wednesday.
"Crime is out of control, and combative leadership is failing us," said Vallas. "Hold department leadership accountable. Put more police on our streets and public transportation. Open schools after hours to assure young Chicagoans have safe alternatives to gangs and violence."
With 41 percent more killings last year than in 2019, when Mayor Lori Lightfoot took office, Vallas said he would empower police to arrest more shooters and killers.
"They've only arrested 15% of the murderers," Vallas said. "They've only arrested 5% of those who shot somebody this year … there were 35 murders downtown last year. In 2019, there were seven."
As for Mayor Lightfoot, a spokeswoman confirms she will for the first time participate in a candidates forum Saturday afternoon. The spokeswoman said it will be the first of many.